Eshandet
'Hex Locations - '''36T-38T, 37U-39U, 37V-39V, 37W-40W, 37X-39X '''Flag - '''Spear with brambles twisted onto it '''Major Languages - '''Ghraemagetcht, Feltongue '''Orders - '''Darkling Church '''Advances - ' Structure Eshandet is the nation in the southwestern Nightlands, extending from a small portion of the eastern Black forest in a crescent arc up into the southern Sdithck mountians. Founded by the first Briar Morgan, it is a country brought into being by war, and reflects that. It has more advanced roads between the towns than most of the Nightlands, and a more expansive military. Though the navy is not very powerful, the aerial forces of Fallen are mobile and lethal. The cities tend to be tiered and made of mostly stone with wooden or slate roofing, and quite tall, having carefully planned streets in a radial pattern. The govenment of Esheandet is a monarchy, each female heir in the line being the Briar Morgan until they die, in which case a new one is chosen by the royal family. Though the current Morgan does have absolute power overall, the royal family itself provides support and aid in decision making, and many Morgans will have thier own personal cabinet of advisors. Population Due to the nature of the Nightlands, outside visitors are rare, long-term ones even moreso. As such, the population of Eshandet is not terribly diverse, composed mainly of Fallen and to some degree Ghraethetcheckt. Bachmi are a relative minority, but still make up about 1/5 of the total population. Culture Eshandet has an unusual culture for the Nightlands, being more militaristic and mindful of the outside world. Most educated folk distrust foriegn peoples to some degree, but such visitors are rare and mostly Salt-folk, who are deemed acceptable sorts. Overall, Eshandet's people tend to be a harder sort, strict but fair in thier dealings with others. Many Nightlanders find them to be a bit stiff. Due in part to how Eshandet was founded, the military is much respected among the citizens, and a fair amount of the nation's trade is in arms and armour, along with some mineral wealth from the mountains. To be a soldier, even in times of peace, is considered a good job to have. In relation to the Burning lands, people tend to be closed-minded. The tragedy in Coronia is firmly planted into the minds of those living in Eshandet, and thusly they tend to look desparingly at Farlander expeditions and other like attempts to make further relations with other peoples outside the Nightlands. Due to the Fallen being a close majority, the cultural values tend to have small similarities to the nation of Nuroda, where the Fallen claim to have originated. Military tradition, a handful of words in Feltongue, and several customs are derived from Nurodan. Marriage, for example, involves the lovers exchanging a nail-clipping from the ring finger of the left hand. Women tend to be allowed more independence in Eshandet, due to the semi-matriarchal archetypes of the Dark Lady and the Morgan, and tend to be in charge of actually running the household, particularly in financial terms, though taking up trading and military station is looked at as good positions for matrons or younger women. Men are expected to be more involved in the military and in scholarly pursuits. No one quite knows what to make of the triple-gender issue of the Ghraethetcheckt, at least among the Bachmi and Fallen, but for the most part the issues are few and far between. Eshandet's people are generally considered more urban than those in Sechetchetckt, and less in-tune with nature. It is also found that the Ghraethetcheckt population there tend to wear more clothing than most, covering up with shirts and short pants rather than small loinclothes as found even in many urban Ghraethetcheckt in Sechetchetckt. Religion One of the important institutions, besides the military and royal line, is the Darkling Church. It is dedicated to Abyss, called the Dark Lady, represented by obsidian or black marble statues of a woman with enormous black wings made of tendrils and full of eyes, as well as other mutations that vary from town to town and region to region. The Church is more formalized than the hierarchy and worshipping found among the Duur' Utcheckt, and have actual buildings wholly dedicated as places of worship. It is more ritualized and formal, with ceremonies fairly often held to honor the Dark Lady. Priests and priestesses are dressed in black clothing, and wear at all times a silver ring with a shard of blackened glass set into it as a sign of faith. Politics Economics Law History Pre-national Events ~9,902 - Fallen appear for the first time in records, regarded as a mass mutation by the Ghraethetcheckt scholars in the exiled Ruh and En from the south 9,920 - 9,934 - Long series of attempt to return to the Dark Isles by various Fallen end in failure; The Ruh and En have exiled them, and this exile is fully ratified, signed, and enforced by 9,930 9,944 - Farlander Shades send an expedition to the West, as Zemellar has been found to mostly be unwelcoming. Later that year, the Shades land near a land referred to as Lumesti. Many Bachmi attempt to crowd onto the ships, askig to be allowed to go to the Nightlands. The Shades acquiesce at the behest of thier on-board Duur' Utchecktmaagh. 9,948 - Bachmi settlements begin to dot the southwestern coast of the Nightlands, integrating with the Fallen towns already established. 9,967 - Fallen sailing captain Delthuun Aenerand re-attempts to establish contact with the Dark Isles. The attempt fails, ending with his ship limping back home damaged. He eventually gives up, and instead tries to establish a piracy hub to attack Zemellar ships going between there and the Dark Isles. He is quickly and quietly hushed up by one of the great houses, most likely the Farlander House to prevent the Takiel of the Dark Isles from retaliating. 9,999-10,003 - Portents and signs are circulated among the newly established Church of the Dark (an Abyssal cult among the Fallen and Bachmi) that great change has occured. Dispite a widespread search for possible outlets for this change, nothing is found. 10,138 - Farlander expedition to take several dozen Bachmi back to Lumesti ends in disaster. The only survivor, Ashridnat Deritcht, returns the following year on an unfarmiliar ship. 10,140-10,150 - Ashridnat launches a series of projects to improve her town, building it a wall, expanding it notably, and training a militia. Eventually it is so enlarged as to be a small city, and Ashridnat is asked to name the 'new' city. She calls it Falancht. 10,154 - Falancht expands into a small city-state. The lands around it are so notably improved that Ashridnat and her family are asked by the other Houses to become the first non-Ghraethetcheckt great House. Ashridnat turns the offer down, and declares herself to be in charge of her own lands. History 10,156 - Ashridnat further expands the city-state, and eventually has herself placed as royalty. She calls herself 'the Briar Morgan', and begins to set up an infrastructure for a small formal country 10,158 - The First Morgan formalizes the nation of Eshandet. 10,162 - Further expansion of Eshandet begins to meet resistance from the great Houses and the Ghraethetcheckt towns. 10,163 - First violent takeover of a town by Eshandet. The town of Aandetcht is quickly brought down and pacified by the fully armed and organized militia of Eshandet. Later this same year, two more villages are brought into Eshandet's sphere of influence by the same means. A few other towns surrender and accept Eshandet rule peacably. 10,168 - In response to the rapid and often agressive expansion of the Morgan's growing militia (and now just-forming Eshandet army), the great houses that remain (13 of 20, the others having been absorbed into the Morgan's territory) meet multiple times to discuss what is to be done. Gradually, an alliance between the Houses is made, and several militias are raised. 10,170-10,180 - Eshandet continues to expand, though more slowly as guerilla fighters and the House militiae begin to solidify and provide active resistance. Ashridnat establishes a formal Aerial Corps, made up of Fallen, and spilts the Eshandet militia into multiple parts dedicated to individual areas inside the nation. The Morgan's Army is solidified, and the Morgan's personal standard made into the national flag. 10,182 - The Houses remaining outside Eshandet become the full nation of Schetchetckt, which then formally declares war on the Morgan and her country. 10,183-10,190 - The Briar War occurs. It is a long conflict mostly involving rapid hit-and-runs by Ghraethetcheckt runners and speed-brawlers and, on the Eshandet side, by the Aerial Corps and thier own Ghraethetcheckt runners. Formal, line-to-line battles are few, most large battles being engaged on the treetops. The Morgan's Aerial Corps prove to be very difficult to deal with due to flight, and most of the victories go to Eshandet. 10,191 - Last year of the Briar War. Schetchetckt begin to develop crossbows and longbows to combat the Aerial Corps. Midway through the year, the Morgan convinces a few Duur' Volyagm to fight for her. They prove devestating on the battlefield, and the Morgan's Army pushes all the way to Abimaagh. The Battle of Abimaagh then occurs. The Morgan attempt to take the city by posting her Aerial Corps onto the rooftops, but the Corps are ambushed by large numbers of Sechetchetckt crossbowmen. With the mobile vangaurd of her Army injured but certainly not crippled, the Morgan calls for a formal peace meeting between her and the Houses. 10,192 - Early in the year the peace meetings come to a close. The Morgan is satisfied with the Nightlands' state and defensive capabilities, and thusly stops the war. Eventually both nations come to an agreement of peace with provided reparations on both sides and formalize the borders between Eshandet and Schetchetckt. 10,193-10,200 - Remaking of both countries in the aftermath of the Briar War. 10,202-10,209 - The First Morgan begins a string of efforts to improve the relationship between Eshandet and Schetchetckt, re-establishing trading routes and making diplomatic efforts to ease the post-war tensions. 10,210 - The First Morgan, Ashridnat Deritcht, dies at the age of 101. Her funeral is attended by more than a thousand people, including many members of the great Houses of Schetchetckt. A statue of her holding a barbed spear pointed downward is finished later in the year and placed in the main square of Falancht. Her daughter, Aschri Deritcht, succeeds her as the Second Briar Morgan. 10,220 - Andaacht House, previously absorbed into Eshandet, seeks to seced from the nation. The Morgan refuses to allow it, and goes so far as to make secession by established Houses illegal under national law. 10,225-10,228 - Andaacht House again attempts to seced from Eshandet, this time with some degree of force behind it. Later, in the year 10,228, the Andaacht Rebellion, as it is called, is put down. The House is formally dissolved. 10,256 - The Second Morgan dies, leaving the throne to her neice, Welvyd Deritcht. Welvyd rules for 44 years, most of her contributions being the expansion of trade and commerce. 10,264 - The Kalthrend Market is established in Falancht. 10,272 - The Third Morgan, on hearing of the trading fiasco in Schetchetckt, places a ban on non-Nightlands goods. Foreign sailors are required to register with the port, to ensure no illegal trade takes place. 10,300 - The Third Morgan dies after battling a serious illness. The throne goes to her second daughter and only surviving female relative at the time, Esrich. Esrich is known to be hard and cruel, often called 'The Vulture'. 10,315 - Another House, Daelridick, attempts to stage a rebellion against Esrich. The rebellion is put down harshly, so harshly that three other Houses immediately declare open rebellion as well, citing the counter-rebellion measures instituted by the Morgan as a massacre. 10,316-10,325 - The Carrion Years. A period marked by almost constant rebellion and semi-anarchy in the countryside, with the Morgan always hurrying to squash one House or another. Considered one of the darkest periods in Eshandet's history. 10,326 - Finally, five united Houses (Malaph, Aengirck, Ghathaedi, Bidritcht and Aevan) march on Falancht with rag-tag rebel armies. The Morgan is eventually captured and publicly plucked of her feathers before being locked in a skycage hanging from the prison tower. She dies in the cage of infection two weeks later. 10,327 - The Fifth Morgan, Gaelva Adrin, is chosen. A very young neice of the Fourth, she is kept from the throne until age 15, the country run by a few members of the royal family jointedly until that time. 10,332 - Gaelva ascends the throne proper. 10,335 - The Machriditcht House begins to voice dissention, demanding the right to secession, and that the old law be repealed. Several Houses in Schetchetckt back this decision as well. 10,338 - Gaelva, in response to pressures by the Houses of Schetchetckt to allow Machridicht to seced, declares war. Before hostilities even markedly begin, however, Machridicht backs out of the conflict and the matter settles down, though tension remains for a few years. 10,357 - Gaelva dies while out flying due to a freak gust of wind. Her cousin, Braethi, ascends the throne, becoming the Sixth Morgan. 10,360-10,375 - Braethi begins a slow spiral of mutation after mutation. She eventually is declared unfit to rule after losing any form of a mouth or means of communication. 10,376 - Braethi's daughter, Malrae, ascends the Throne as the Seventh Morgan. 10,378 - Machridicht again attempts to seced, and again the Houses of Schetchetckt support it. Malrae abdicates the throne, leaving it to her younger sister, Daedri, then crowned the Eighth Morgan. 10,379-10,382 - War of Secession. During the war, two other Eshandet Houses try to seced, with the continued support of the Schetchetckt Houses. Only Machridicht succeeds in seceding, declaring it and its land now part of Schetchetckt. During the last battle, the Battle of Baeschrid, the Eighth Morgan is fatally wounded by a crossbow bolt. The war swiftly comes to a close afterward. 10,383 - Qoulth, the Ninth Morgan and cousin to Daedri, ascends the throne. 10,397-10,409 - Quolth spirals into Void-madness and several major mutations. She eventually becomes so erratic and emotionless that the royal family declares her unfit to rule. 10,410 - Nela Deridcht, Quolth's sister, ascends the throne as the Tenth Morgan. She is known in particular for her great kindness, often called 'Sweetbriar'. 10,415 - The ban on non-Nightlands goods is lifted by order of the Morgan. 10,420-10,423 - Ischrid Aangur, a priestess, pens On The Dark. A radical religious text, it speculates directly that the Abyss is not a God per se, but something more akin to an Other or demon. This sparks a long series of religious conflicts over the issue, a few even ending in bloodshed. 10,426-10,440 - Qoulth, having gathered her own army of fanatics and loyal parties, declares herself to be the rightful Morgan and incites a massive civil war. Called the Blackbriar war, this lasts for nearly two decades and finally ends when Qoulth devolves into a mutagenic abomination and dies shortly thereafter. 10,450-10,453 - Nela advocates for sending out an envoy to the West, particularly to Coronia. Both of the embassadorial attempts fail. Many declare the Tenth to be foolish for doing such a thing. 10,455 - The Tenth Morgan is assassinated while visiting a township to speak on foreign policy. Much speculation follows on the who and why of the matter. 10,456-10,458 - Beauracratic entanglements halt a new Morgan from being chosen. Widespread rioting and general malcontent spreads as the nation grinds almost to a halt with no head of State. 10,460 - The Eleventh Morgan, Caelma, the younger sister to Nela, is finally ascended to the throne. She blames the assassination on the Undurincht House of Schetchetckt. When her demands for recompense are rebuffed, she declares a war on the House. Several other Houses are pulled in by alliances, and a full-scale war breaks out. 10,460-10,466 - The Undurincht Conflict. 10,467 - The Undurincht House, now under pressure from its allies, sues for peace and recompenses the current Morgan for the assassination and war expenses. Nearly destitute, Undurincht House fades from importance for several decades. 10,495 - The Eleventh Morgan dies, leaving the throne to her niece, Bethridt. 10,500-10,512 - Years of exploration. The Twelfth Morgan, an avid explorator, goes on multiple trips outside of the Nightlands, mostly to Ine, the Salt-folk nations, and Atalla. 10,513-10,530 - The Great Plague. The Twelfth Morgan, having caught a foriegn illness in her travels, brings back the sickness with her. Within three years much of the Nightlands has it. It is described as 'a wasting, rotting sickness'. The Morgan dies a few moths after her return, but the plague by that time had already claimed much of the royal family. 10,531 - Izana Deritcht, a member of the royal family and a noted Abyssal mage, manages to concoct a cure for the plague using a mix of alchemy and Abyssal workings. The cure is hurriedly produced in mass and begins to be administered over the next few years. 10,533 - With the plague finally dealt with, the remaining royal family members choose the Thirteenth Morgan. Izana takes the throne as a hero. 10,545-10,560 - Izana begins to study Abyssal magic more seriously, and very noticably grows in power. Towards the end of this period she is so powerful that her form literally mutates at a constant rate unconsciously. Category:Nations